Vending machine circuitry

ABSTRACT

Circuitry for controlling a vending machine to prevent cheating. If after the change-maker is set, a vend is not initiated within a predetermined interval, the change-maker is reset.

United States Patent 1191 Van Meter Aug. 13, 1974 VENDING MACHINECIRCUITRY 3,185,28] 5/1965 Gross 194/2 [75] Inventor: Edmin L. VanMeter, St. Paul,

Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves [73] Assignee: Gross-Given Mfg.Company, St. Assistant ExaminerJoseph J. Rolla Paul, Minn.

[22] Filed: June 25, 1973 PP 373,193 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 194/10,194/2, 133/2 ir uitry for on rolling a vending machine to preven [51][111. CI. G07f 11/00 cheating. If after the nge-m is a vend is not [58]Field of Search 194/] N Z, 9, 10; 133/2 initiated within a predeterminedinterval, the changemaker is reset. [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 2,607,463 8/1952 Saigh 194/10 SEL.PANEL /54 PRICE HEAD SHEET 1 or 2 mmDm PAIENIEU AUG 1 31974 VENDINGMACHINE CIRCUITRY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains tocircuitry for controlling vending machines and particularly to improvedcontrol circuitry to prevent cheating.

The invention involves improvements to control circuitry of the typedescribed in US. Pat. No. 3,185,281 (Gross). It has been discovered thatit is possible to cheat the system described in Gross. In the system ofGross the change solenoids and the carriage solenoids are electricallyenergized in series when a selector button is depressed. The changesolenoids set the changemaker and the carriage solenoids actuate acarriage switch which supplies current to the vending motor. The delayassociated with the carriage solenoids is greater than that associatedwith the change solenoids so that if the selector button is depressedmomentarily for an instant it is possible to actuate a change solenoidwithout actuating a carriage solenoid. This sets the change-maker. Forexample, if a quarter is inserted into the vending machine and thenickel select button is momentarily depressed, the change-maker is setto return twenty cents. If the quarter select button is then depressedin the normal way a 25 cent item is dispensed and cents is returned bythe change-maker. So, for a quarter one gets a cent vended item and 20cents back in change. This kind of cheating is prevented with theimproved control circuitry of the present invention.

SUMMARY In some vending machines the change solenoids in thechange-maker and the carriage solenoids are electrically connected inseries when a selector button is depressed. The delay associated withthe carriage solenoid is greater than that associated with the changesolenoid and the change-maker may be set without the carriage solenoidinitiating a vend so that the vending machine may be cheated. I

The improved control circuitry incorporates a changer reset solenoidhaving a delay associated therewith greater than that of the carriagesolenoids. The changer reset solenoid is energized a short time after achange solenoid is energized and actuated. When the changer resetsolenoid is energized and actuated it resets the changer. If a carriagesolenoid is energized and actuated as in a proper vend, the electricalenergy to the changer reset solenoid is cut off, and the changemaker orchanger is reset in the normal way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS. 1 and 2, placed together, form aschematic diagram of the control circuitry for a vending machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT other set of switches, 22, 24,and 26 are connected in series with the first set of switches. Thesecond set of switches are known as the coin switches and are actuatedwhen coins are deposited in the vending machine. Switch 22 is actuatedby dimes, switch 24 by nickels, and switch 26 by quarters. Theseswitches are normally in their right positions and when actuated by acoin are moved to their left positions. Accumulator solenoids 28, 30,and 32 are momentarily energized when coins momentarily actuate switches22, 24, and 26. These solenoids are connected to AC line 12 by a lead34. The plungers associated with solenoids 28, 30, and 32 actu ate acontact plunger 36 in the accumulator price head. Contact plunger 36 ismoved upward between a slide contact 38 on the left and a set of fivecontacts 40-44 on the right. Five price lines 48-52 connect the contacts40-44 to terminals on a selector panel 54. Line 48 is known as the 25cent price line, line 49 the 20 cent price line, line 50 the 15 centprice line, line 51 the 10 cent price line, and line 52 the 5 cent priceline.

As an example, when a quarter is deposited in the machine it passesthrough a slug rejector (not shown) and passes by the 25 cent coinswitch 26. In passing by switch 26 it momentarily actuates switch 26moving it to its left position. This momentarily completes theelectrical circuit to solenoid 32 and it is energized. The plungerassociated with solenoid 32 moves contact plunger 36 upward until it isopposite contact 40. This completes the electrical circuit between priceline 48 and AC line 10. If other coins are deposited, other price lineswill be connected.

Connecting a certain price line to one side of AC line 10 causes one ofthree relays 62, 64, or 66 to be energized. Relay 62 is known as the 25cent relay, relay 64 the 20 cent relay, and relay 66 the 10 cent relay.With a quarter having been deposited in the machine and price line 48connected to AC line 10, the 25 cent relay 62 is energized and itscontactor is moved to the right. The right end of the winding of relay62 is connected to a terminal 56 at the bottom of selector panel 54.Terminal-56 is connected internally in selector panel 54 to price line48. The left end of the winding of relay 62 is returned to AC line 12.If 20 cents is deposited in the machine, relay 64 is connected viacontacts of relay 62 to a terminal 57 at the bottom of selector panel54. Terminal 57 is internally connected in panel 54 to price line 49.When 10 cents is deposited in the machine, relay 66 is connected viacontacts of relay 62 to a terminal 59 at the bottom of selector panel54. Terminal 59 is connected internally in panel 54 to price line 51.The function of relays 62, 64, and 66 is to set up the change solenoidsin the change-maker used in the machine. This machine uses a nickelchange-maker of the type described in US. Pat. No. 2,848,033 (Gross) andincludes four change solenoids 68, 70, 72, and 74. These are knownrespectively as the four-coin, threecoin, two-coin, and one-coin changesolenoids. The bottom end of each of the windings associated with thechange solenoids is connected through a switch 75, known as thefive-cent tube switch, to the AC line 10. The five-cent tube switch isin the up position as shown unless the tubes in the change-maker areempty, in which case the five-cent tube switch moves downward causing alamp 77 to be energized, indicating that correct change must be used.The upper ends of each of the windings of the change solenoids areconnected to contacts in the 25 cent relay 62 and in addition the upperend of the winding of solenoid 74 is connected to contacts in the 20cent relay 64 and contacts in the cent relay 66. Depending on the coinsdeposited in the machine and the selection made, a certain changesolenoid is energized setting up the changemaker. For example if aquarter is deposited and a nickel selection is made, change solenoid 68,the four-coin solenoid, is energized, and four nickels are returnedtogether with the item selected.

Selector panel 54 includes a set of five selector buttons 76-80.Connected to terminals at the right side of selector panel 54 is a setof five solenoids 82-86. Solenoids 82-86 are known as the carriagesolenoids. The plungers associated with these solenoids are connected tothe contactor of carriage switch 16. Solenoids 82-86 are returned to ACline 12.

Pressing a selector button momentarily provides an electrical connectionbetween one of the change solenoids and one of the carriage solenoids.Assume for example that a quarter has been deposited and that a nickelitem is selected and that button 80 is the nickel select button. Whenbutton 80 is pressed, the four-coin solenoid 68 is connected in serieswith carriage solenoid 86 across the supply voltage. In effect, button80 momentarily short circuits a terminal 60 at the bottom of selectorpanel 54 to the top end of the winding on solenoid 86. In the normalcourse of events, the nickel item selected and four nickels in changeare received by the person making the selection.

Energizing the winding of carriage solenoid 86 causes a plungerassociated therewith to move carriage switch 16 to its lower position.This places 1 volts across the vending motor 88 and the vend or deliverystroke of the machine is begun. Moving the contactor of carriage switch16 downward interrupts the current to the coin switches 22, 24, and 26,the accumulator price head and the carriage solenoids.

When a cam (not shown) on motor 88 has turned about one third of arevolution, a motor cam switch 90 is moved to the left, sending currentto a coin acceptance switch 92. The item being vended passes by switch92 and actuates it such thatthe contactor is moved to the right,supplying current to the coin acceptance solenoid 94. The moneydeposited in the machine is then dropped into a cash box (not shown).When motor cam switch 90 is actuated to the left, current is alsosupplied to an accumulator reset solenoid 96. Energizing solenoid 96causes the accumulator to be reset to zero, that is, contact plunger 36drops to the position shown, disconnecting all the price lines 48-52.

As the carriage (not shown) in the vending machine approaches the end ofthe delivery stroke, carriage switch 16 is actuated and moved upward.Previous to this, the cam associated with vending motor 88 had actuatedmotor hold switch 18 so that its contactor was moved downward. Thereforewhen carriage switch 16 is actuated and moved to its upper position thevending motor is still energized through the motor hold switch 18. Motorhold switch 18 continues to energize motor 88 until the cam associatedtherewith has. completed a full revolution. A rise on the cam thenactuates motor hold switch 18 moving it to its upper position andbreaking the circuit to the vending motor 18. The vending machine is nowready for the next vend.

The resistance and inductance of the carriage solenoids (82-86) isgreater than that of the change solenoids (68, 70, 72, 74). Thereforewhen a change solenoid and a carriage solenoid are electricallyconnected in series it is possible to actuate the change solenoid beforethe carriage solenoid is actuated because of the longer delay associatedwith the carriage solenoid (delay is a function of inductance andresistance). In the past, this could be done by very rapidly pressingand releasing a selector button which would set the change-makerindependently of making an actual selection. It was possible to cheatthe machine by depositing a coin, a quarter for example, and momentarilydepressing the nickel select button. This would set the four-coinsolenoid 68 in the nickel change-maker but would not actuate thedelivery stroke. To actuate the delivery stroke the quarter selectorbutton would then be depressed, setting up an actual vend. The resultwould be the reception of the 25 cent item selected and the return of 20cents in change. In this way a 25 cent item is received for a nickel.The present invention is designed to eliminate this technique forcheating the machine. The plungers of change solenoids 68, 70, 72, and74 actuate a switch after a slight delay. The delay can be introduced byhaving the plungers operate a cam associated with the contactor ofswitch 100. There are a number of ways of introducing such a mechanicaldelay. Actuation of switch 100 causes the supply voltage to be appliedacross the winding of the changer reset solenoid 102. The resistance andinductance of the winding of solenoid 102 happen to be greater than thatof the windings of the carriage solenoids 82-86. In other words, thedelay associated with switch 100 and solenoid 102 when it is energizedis greater than that of the carriage solenoids. In effect, solenoid 102will not be actuated until a short time after a carriage solenoid wouldnormally be actuated. Therefore, if an attempt is made to cheat thevending machine and a carriage solenoid is not actuated a short timeafter a change solenoid is actuated, the changer reset solenoid isactuated. The plunger of solenoid 102 is mechanically connected directlyback to the change solenoids and resets them. The plunger of solenoid102 is also mechanically connected back to switch 100 so that whensolenoid 102 is energized and the plunger is actuated, switch 100 ismoved to the right breaking the circuit to solenoid 102. The plunger ofsolenoid 102 is also mechanically connected to the contactor of switch104. When switch 100 was moved to the left, switch 104 was also movedleft. This is in preparation for energizing change disperser motor 106in the course of a normal vend. If the vend is improper, i.e., ifcheating is attempted, and the change-maker is reset by solenoid 102,switch 104 is moved back to the right.

In a proper vend, 115 volts AC is applied across motor 106 through apair of contacts 108 associated with an upper latch relay 110. Thewinding of relay 110 is connected between the AC on line 12 and the ACpresent at a point between coin switch 22 and coin return switch 20.Motor 106 drives a coin dispensing gear 112 which drives a timing gear114 which drives a clutch drum 116. Fins 117 on the clutch drum 116reset the change solenoids 68, 70, 72, and 74 in a normal vendingsituation. After the change-maker has been reset, a mechanicalconnection from gear 114 resets switch 104 to the right. This energizesthe clutch drum solenoid 118 which returns the clutch drum 116 to therest position. When a actual vend takes place, a

lower latch relay 120 causes contacts 108 to close. If the item selectedis not vended, switch 92 supplies current to a coin return solenoid 122which causes the deposited coins to be returned.

in summary, if an improper vend is attempted the changemaker is reset bychanger reset solenoid 102 a short time after the carriage solenoidshould normally have been actuated. In a proper vend the changemaker isreset in the normal way by clutch drum 116 which is driven by changedispenser motor 106.

If the vend is set up properly by the person making the selection thewinding of changer reset solenoid 102 is electrically de-energized whencarriage switch 16 is actuated and moved downward by a plungerassociated with a carriage solenoid. Therefore the reset of thechange-maker to prevent cheating is not carried out but the change-makeris reset in the normal way by clutch drum 116.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described above andillustrated in the drawings. Those skilled in the art can makemodifications to this embodiment and devise equivalent embodimentswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is tobe limited only by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vending machine having a carriage, a changemaker and means forresetting the change-maker, the change-maker having change solenoidsthat are electrically connected in series with carriage solenoids when aselector button is actuated, the delay associated with the carriagesolenoids being greater than that associated with the change solenoidsso that the changemaker can be set without the carriage solenoidsinitiating a vend, whereby the vending machine can be cheated, theimprovement comprising:

a. delay means having a delay greater than that of the carriagesolenoids;

b. means responsive to the change solenoids for energizing the delaymeans when a change solenoid is energized;

c. means responsive to the delay means for resetting the change-makerindependently of the means for resetting the change-maker;

d. means responsive to the carriage solenoids for deenergizing the delaymeans if a carriage solenoid is actuated during a predetermined intervalafter a selector button is actuated; and

c. said delay means including a change or reset solenoid, and a switchconnected in series with said changer reset solenoid and actuated by thechange solenoids.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which the switch includesdelay means comprising a cam.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which the solenoid includesmeans for opening the series switch and breaking an electrical circuitto the solenoid when the solenoid is actuated.

4. In a coin operated vending machine suitable for dispensing aplurality of differently priced articles and having multiple selectorswitches, a carriage dispenser including carriage solenoids which areresponsive to activation of the selector switches, and a change-makerhaving change solenoids which are also responsive to activation of theselector switches, the improvement which comprises delay means totemporarily retard the resetting of the change solenoid for a shortperiod of time, until after the selected carriage solenoid has initiatedan article-dispensing cycle to such an extent that the dispensing cyclecannot be altered by manipulation of a different selector switch tothereby obtain change for an article priced less than the articleactually dispensed.

5. The improved apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein the delay meanscomprise:

a. a changer reset solenoid;

b. a switch connected in series with the changer reset solenoid andactuated by the change solenoids;

c. wherein said switch includes delay means comprising a cam; and

d. wherein said changer reset solenoid includes means for opening theseries switch and breaking an electrical circuit to the solenoid whenthe solenoid is actuated.

' UiNI'TED STATiES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION Patent Ne.33233 05 I Dated Angus; 13 1914 Inventor-(s) 5 1,, 31;. 1-

It is eertified that error appeare in the aboveidentified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In column 2; mime 55, chenge "2 ,848,033" to -2-,848,003--.

' sigma and mm gm 3rd day of December 1974.

(Sm) 1; Atteat: McCOY M; GIBSON JR. V c. MARSHALL 1min A AttestingOfficer Commissioner of Patents FORM ponpsoumssl I Y r COMM and,

' i us. oovmumn nnmuc. emu 2 no o-sn-an.

1. In a vending machine having a carriage, a change-maker and means forresetting the change-maker, the change-maker having change solenoidsthat are electrically connected in series with carriage solenoids when aselector button is actuated, the delay associated with the carriagesolenoids being greater than that associated with the change solenoidsso that the change-maker can be set without the carriage soleNoidsinitiating a vend, whereby the vending machine can be cheated, theimprovement comprising: a. delay means having a delay greater than thatof the carriage solenoids; b. means responsive to the change solenoidsfor energizing the delay means when a change solenoid is energized; c.means responsive to the delay means for resetting the changemakerindependently of the means for resetting the changemaker; d. meansresponsive to the carriage solenoids for deenergizing the delay means ifa carriage solenoid is actuated during a predetermined interval after aselector button is actuated; and e. said delay means including a changeor reset solenoid, and a switch connected in series with said changerreset solenoid and actuated by the change solenoids.
 2. The apparatus asrecited in claim 1 in which the switch includes delay means comprising acam.
 3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which the solenoidincludes means for opening the series switch and breaking an electricalcircuit to the solenoid when the solenoid is actuated.
 4. In a coinoperated vending machine suitable for dispensing a plurality ofdifferently priced articles and having multiple selector switches, acarriage dispenser including carriage solenoids which are responsive toactivation of the selector switches, and a change-maker having changesolenoids which are also responsive to activation of the selectorswitches, the improvement which comprises delay means to temporarilyretard the resetting of the change solenoid for a short period of time,until after the selected carriage solenoid has initiated anarticle-dispensing cycle to such an extent that the dispensing cyclecannot be altered by manipulation of a different selector switch tothereby obtain change for an article priced less than the articleactually dispensed.
 5. The improved apparatus as recited in claim 4wherein the delay means comprise: a. a changer reset solenoid; b. aswitch connected in series with the changer reset solenoid and actuatedby the change solenoids; c. wherein said switch includes delay meanscomprising a cam; and d. wherein said changer reset solenoid includesmeans for opening the series switch and breaking an electrical circuitto the solenoid when the solenoid is actuated.